11.04.2009

If you're not familiar with Lisa Jones's work yet, get ready to fall in love with her sweet designs! Lisa is a graphic designer whose bold and colorful work is great for both adults and kids! Not only is she the creator of one of the cutest tea towels that I have ever seen (see owl print below), but she also designs a line of recycled cards and wrapping paper, which is helpful for people like me, who wrap all their xmas presents in newspapers and plastic bags! This week she's sharing her yummy recipe for Pasteis de Nata (custard tarts), as well as a really cute egg illustration to accompany the recipe. Great work, Lisa!

From Lisa: I grew up on a version of these custard tarts. The English versions are a little more insipid, not quite as tasty and covered in nutmeg!! So the Pasteis de Nata are a tasty treat! I read that some Hong Kong branches of 'Kentucky Fried Chicken' sell them. . . . mmmm I'll have chicken, chips and a custard tart please!

Lightly grease the bun tin. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick and 23 x 40cm,then roll it up tightly like a carpet, starting at the short end. Cut off 1.5 cm lengths and roll each one into a 10cm circle. Press each circle into the bun tin, gently pleating the sides to make a cup. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F gas mark 3. Put a paper bun case into each shell, filling with baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes.Remove from the oven and remove paper cases. Return to the oven for five minutes - if they puff up too much, gently press them down the moment you take them out of the oven.

Lower the heat to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy, then stir in the cream, vanilla and salt until well combined. Spoon into the sells, filling them by two-thirds. Return to the oven for 11-13 mins, until the custard takes on a little colour and the egg still has a bit of wobble to it (it will continue to cook a little after the tarts are taken out of the oven).

When cool, dust with with the icing sugar mix, if you like, and eat on the same day, they don't keep...but is that really a problem?